The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
announced the availability of approximately $40 million to strengthen
and better coordinate activities within state and territorial health
departments aimed at preventing chronic diseases and promoting health.
Created by the Affordable Care Act, this initiative targets the
nation’s five leading chronic disease-related causes of death and
disability: heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and arthritis.

"Chronic diseases are responsible for 7 out of 10
deaths among Americans each year, and they account for about
three-fourths of the more than $2.5 trillion our nation spends annually
on medical care," said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. "Fortunately,
many chronic diseases are preventable, and these new resources will
assist states and territories in the implementation of proven
prevention and wellness programs that will save lives and lower health
care costs for all Americans."

This announcement is one part of the first-ever
Prevention & Wellness Month, as the Obama Administration is
highlighting announcements, activities, and tips that will help
Americans get healthy and stay healthy. The new initiative will support
the implementation of public health programs, surveillance of chronic
diseases, translation of research into public health practice, and
development of tools and resources for health workers and other leaders
at the national, state, and community levels.

State and territorial health activities will focus
on reducing age-adjusted mortality due to chronic diseases and reducing
the prevalence of disabling chronic diseases. In addition, the
initiative will aim to improve health and quality of life by promoting
environmental and policy changes related to nutrition, physical
activity, and clinical preventive services and by promoting education
and management skills for people diagnosed with or at high risk for
chronic diseases.

"Many chronic diseases share common risk factors,
afflict similar population groups the hardest, and can be effectively
addressed by the same public health strategies," said Dr. Thomas
Frieden, director of HHS’ Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, which oversees the initiative. "That’s why it’s
so important to help state and territorial health departments develop
the organizational capacity and management approaches to deal with
chronic diseases holistically, not just as separate conditions."

CDC expects to award funds for 3-year coordinated
statewide chronic disease programs to all 58 U.S. states and
territories, with approximately $40 million available for the first
12-month budget period. As a critical requirement, successful grantees
will create or update statewide plans that demonstrate coordinated
approaches to addressing the leading causes of chronic disease deaths
and their associated risk factors, including but not limited to heart
disease, cancer, stroke, arthritis, diabetes, nutrition, physical
activity, and obesity. Tobacco use, a leading risk factor for chronic
diseases, is not part of the initiative but will continue to be
addressed through CDC’s other statewide prevention programs.

State and territorial health departments
interested in submitting proposals for the Prevention and Public Health
Fund Coordinated Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Program can find more information at www.grants.gov. The application deadline is July 22, 2011.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
issued a final regulation to ensure that large health insurance premium
increases will be thoroughly reviewed, and consumers will have access
to clear information about those increases. Combined with other
important protections from the Affordable Care Act, these new rules
will help lower insurance costs by moderating premium hikes and provide
consumers with greater value for their premium dollar. In 2011, this
will mean rate increases of 10-percent or more must be reviewed by
state or federal officials.

The Clinical Documentation Industry
Association
(CDIA) announced the launch of a new industry trade association
dedicated to ensuring the accuracy, consistency and security of
clinical documentation contained within all patient health records.

The cost of obesity among U.S. full-time
employees is estimated to be $73.1 billion, according to a new study by
a Duke University obesity researcher, published in the Journal of
Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

With clients including Maidenform, Papa
John’s, and Timberland, Virgin HealthMiles’
pay-for-prevention approach to health and wellness has won over 120
employers representing more than 500,000 employees across the U.S. with
its unique programming options.

LiveWell Colorado, a non-profit organization
committed to reducing obesity in Colorado by promotinghealthy eating
and active living, published a "Worksite Wellness Blueprint" to assess
the current state of worksite wellness in Colorado and to identify,
prioritize, and guide future efforts. The project was a collaborative
effort with the Colorado Physical Activity and Nutrition (COPAN)
program at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

CIGNA has added a new worksite lifestyle
improvement program, Metabolic Syndrome Improvement Program (MSIP), to
help people combat metabolic syndrome, a condition significantly
increasing the risk of an individual developing type 2 diabetes and
heart disease.

In today’s austere economy,
American workers’ attention is focused on spending less and
saving more, according to recent research from the Principal Financial
Well-Being Index. Employers can take advantage of this increased
awareness by rewarding workers who practice healthier lifestyles with
savings on healthcare.

Most Americans Don’t
Prepare For Illness Or Injury That Puts
Their Income At Risk

December 2, 2010

Few full- and part-time workers were aware
of
preventive measures that protect them from injury and illness, nor were
they prepared for loss of salary due to layoff, injury, or illness,
found a Yankelovich survey conducted for CIGNA that explored attitudes
toward work.

Benefits Of Incentives To
Motivate And Promote A Workplace Wellness Program

November 11, 2010

We have been reporting on the results of our
"Workplace Wellness Management Survey on Incentives." In previous
issues of Wellness Program Management Advisor,
you have received statistics on the numbers of organizations that have
formal incentives or rewards for participation in workplace wellness
programs.

Within the next decade, the Bureau of Labor
Statistics predicts that 41.5 percent of the workforce will be members
of racial and ethnic minority groups. That being said, many of these
groups experience significant differences in the diagnosis and
treatment of health conditions, utilization of preventive services, and
health outcomes, according to the National Business Group on Health
(NBGH).

Our complex technological industries make
shiftwork an inevitable fact of life. Yet, studies have found that
long-term disruptions in Circadian rhythm can have serious physiologic
impact on the employee. Approximately 20 percent of shiftworkers never
adapt to the health and social strains. The remaining 80 percent
experience some degree of negative effect on their quality of life.

Now more than ever, employers and employees
can
benefit from the advantages and lifestyle advice of health and
productivity management (HPM) programs, according to an analysis by the
non-profit Integrated Benefits Institute (IBI).

Well-maintained after action reports (AARs)
are living documents that validate the wellness program’s
worth
to senior management and the wellness manager’s worth during
periodic performance reviews. Ideally, an AAR should be developed for
every program, but certainly for major events that require considerable
effort to put together.

Spam is not just a mysterious lunch meat
anymore. As part of a larger Canadian exercise and health study,
researchers at the University of Alberta sent weekly e-mail reminders
to volunteers at five large workplaces over a 12-week period. Of the
nearly 2,600 workers, those who were “spammed” with
weekly health promotion emails in their inbox increased their physical
activity and were more willing to make changes in their eating habits
when compared to the control group who did not receive these messages.

Managers who have never sought corporate
sponsors
for their programs are overlooking a valuable potential resource. Even
those who have used corporate sponsors often restrict their usage to
some major event like a fitness challenge or health fair.

Support From Senior Management
Should Be Part Of A Wellness
Manager’s Job Description

February 18, 2010

It is no secret among wellness managers that
the
most important key to the overall success of a wellness program is the
support of senior management. And, the success of the Intel Health for
Life 3 Step Wellness Check program is proof positive.

New Survey Findings: Incentives
As A Motivator To Participate In
Wellness Programs Continues To Grow

January 28, 2010

The majority of wellness managers say their
programs offer incentives to employees or members for participation.
Some 76.6 percent of wellness professionals reported their program
includes some form of formal incentives, found the results of the
survey conducted by the Institute for Workplace Wellness
and Health Promotion.